Computer-aided detection (CAD) generally refers to the use of computers to analyze medical images to detect anatomical abnormalities in the subject body part. Sometimes used interchangeably with the term computer-aided detection are the terms computer-aided diagnosis, computer-assisted diagnosis, or computer-assisted detection. Upon acquisition of a digital or digitized medical image, a CAD algorithm usually identifies a preliminary set of candidate locations in a medical image and then selects which ones, if any, will qualify as actual CAD detections based on a variety of computed features associated with the candidate detections. The CAD results are most often communicated in the form of annotation maps comprising graphical annotations (CAD markers) overlaid on a diagnostic-quality or reduced-resolution version of the medical image, one CAD marker for each CAD detection.
CAD results are mainly used by radiologists as “secondary reads” or secondary diagnosis tools. When analyzing a medical image, the radiologist usually makes his or her own analytical determinations before looking at the CAD results, which either verify those determinations or trigger further inspection of the image. Some CAD implementations have used CAD results in a “concurrent reading” context in which the radiologists look at the CAD results at the same time that they look at the images.
In the field of x-ray mammography, thousands of x-ray mammography CAD systems are now installed worldwide, and are used to assist radiologists in the interpretation of millions of mammograms per year. X-ray mammography CAD systems are described, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,620, U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,591, U.S. Pat. No. 5,917,929, U.S. Pat. No. 6,075,879, U.S. Pat. No. 6,266,435, U.S. Pat. No. 6,301,378, U.S. Pat. No. 6,434,262, U.S. Pat. No. 6,901,156, and WO 2002/045437A2, each of which is incorporated by reference herein. X-ray mammography CAD algorithms analyze digital or digitized images of standard mammographic views (e.g. CC, MLO) for characteristics commonly associated with breast cancer, such as calcifications, masses, and architectural distortions.
Although at least one preferred embodiment is described herein in the context of x-ray mammography CAD systems, it is to be appreciated that the present teachings are applicable for a variety of present or prospective medical imaging modalities (e.g., CT, MRI, PET, SPECT, ultrasound, x-ray tomosynthesis, thermography, electrical conductivity-based modalities, and other modalities) for a variety of different body parts (e.g., head, neck, chest, abdomen, etc.) It would be desirable to provide a CAD system having enhanced functionality with respect to one or more of anatomical coverage, information usage completeness, and overall screening effectiveness. It would be further desirable to provide a CAD user interface accommodating such enhanced functionality. Other issues arise as would be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading the present disclosure.